Optical fiber connection housing with an outlet connector element and a splice connection to an optical line group

ABSTRACT

A housing is provided for a connection between optical fibers located in line groups (trunking or the like) in a building and one or more items of equipment. The housing is molded of plastic material and includes first and second housing members which are connectable. The first housing member is mountable on a wall or the like in the building so that it can receive optical fibers from the trunking and having formations which define a path for the fibers. The second housing member is pivotably mounted on the first member and has a shell. The shell has formations which define a path which can receive the fibers from the first housing member and along which the fibers can be guided to a splice region. The housing member has further formations which define paths for fibers extending from the splice region to one or more outlets.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a housing for use in providing a connectionbetween optical fibers located in line groups (trunking) or in wallboxes or underfloor boxes in a building and one or more items ofequipment located within that building.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of optical fibers as the medium for carrying signals is becomingevermore widespread and it is now not uncommon for equipment used in abuilding to have an optical fiber by means of which it can be coupled toa wall outlet. Wall outlets for optical fibers need to be able toprovide an interconnection between equipment such as that referred toabove and optical fibers located in for example the trunking of thebuilding. They also need to provide a facility which allows for the factthat sometimes re-termination of fibers within the outlet is necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is concerned with a housing which is designed tomeet such requirements.

According to the present invention there is provided a housing for usein providing a connection between optical fibers located in trunking orthe like in a building and one or more items of equipment, said housingcomprising first and second housing members which are connectable. Thefirst housing member is mountable on a wall or the like in the buildingso that it can receive optical fibers from the trunking and havingformations which define a path for the fibers. The second housing memberhas formations which define a path which can receive the fibers from thefirst housing member and along which the fibers can be guided to asplice region. The housing member has further formations which definepaths for fibers extending from the splice region to one or moreoutlets.

The second housing member may comprise two parts, a first part beingpivotally connected to a first housing member and being molded so as todefine the one or more outlets, and the second part may include atray-like member which has the formations which define the paths. Thesplice region can be defined in the tray-like member and can be arrangedto receive one or more splice units. Each splice unit may comprise amolded member which defines a number of side-by-side channels. Thesplice region may also accommodate a breakout unit which, when used, isdisposed below the splice unit or units.

The molded formations may define paths which are arranged to have aradius of curvature which is not less than a preselected criticalradius. The paths may be so defined that the optical fibers can extendaround them a plurality of times.

The formations provided on the first housing member may define a pathwhose shape enables the direction of the fibers to be changed withoutsubjecting the fiber to bending of less than a critical bending radius.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses,reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter inwhich preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wall outlet housing for optical fibersin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outlet housing in an opencondition;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the outlet housing;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a splice unit, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a breakout unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings in particular, a housing for use as a walloutlet for optical fibers comprises first and second housing parts 10and 11.

The housing part 10 is molded from plastics material and can be securedto a wall, such as an internal wall of a building, by means of screwsextending through apertures 12. The housing part 10 is molded so that ithas a recessed part 14 within which are formed a plurality of moldedformations 15. A wall of the recess part 14 also includes one or moreapertures 16, 16 a. The formations 15 are designed to define paths alongwhich optical fibers can extend, these paths allowing the direction ofthe fibers to change without subjecting them to bending of less than acritical bending radius. For example optical fibers entering fromtrunking through aperture 16 a can pass along the path shown byreference numeral 18. The housing part 10 also includes two splitannular formations 19 which act as restraint points for a kevlar memberwhich can be used to secure an optical fiber cable.

The second housing part 11 is also molded from plastics material and hasa hinged connection 20 to the first housing part so that the first andsecond housing parts can pivot one relative to the other. The secondhousing part 11 is molded to define a number of side-by-side outlets 22and 23 which can receive optical fiber connector parts.

The second housing part 11 can receive a tray-like member 25 which sitswithin the second housing member 11 so that it is disposed above theoutlets 22 and 23. The tray-like member 25 is molded from plasticsmaterial and includes a plurality of curved formations shown generallyat 28. These formations 28 define a number of tracks along which opticalfibers can extend. These include an outer track shown at 29, innertracks 30 and an intermediate region 31. In addition formations 32define pathways through which fibers can extend to the outlets 22 and23. In this respect it should be noted that the central region 36 of thetray is open. The formations 28 and 32 include projecting fingers 38which can act as retaining members for fibers disposed in tracks 29, 30.

The tray is also molded to define a shelf 40. The area above the shelf40 constitutes a splice region which can receive one or more spliceunits 42 such as that shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. This splice unit42 is molded from plastics material and defines four side-by-sidechannels 43, each of which can accommodate an optical fiber.

The splice unit 42 also has formed thereon formations shown at 44 whichconstitute clip members. The lower clip members 44 can engage similarclip members formed on the shelf 40 to secure the splice unit inposition on the shelf The upper clip units 44 can be engaged by anothersplice unit placed above the one shown in FIG. 4 to secure two suchunits relative to one another.

It is possible also optionally to locate what is known as a breakoutunit in the splice region. A typical breakout unit is shown in FIG. 5 ofthe drawings and when used will be located beneath a splice unit such as42, i.e. it will be directly mounted on the shelf 40. The breakout unitis a molded plastics element which defines a path for a group of opticalfibers which has an inlet 50 and a diverging portion 52 at its oppositeend which allow optical fibers to be spread out along a number ofside-by-side channels. The breakout unit also has formations 54 whosefunction is the same as the formations 44 on the splice unit.

In use the wall outlet is secured to a wall by means of screws extendingthrough the apertures 12. A length of optical fiber cabling or a bundleof optical fibers is fed in from trunking behind the wall through forexample aperture 16 a and around the path 18. These fibers are then fedinto the tray section 25 so that they extend around the outer path 29defined by the formations 28. These fibers can be fed a number of timesaround the tray, each time passing through the region 31. This in effectprovides a degree of slack or excess length of fibers which issufficient to enable re-termination should that be required in thefuture. Ultimately the fibers are fed into the splice region 40. If thebreakout unit is employed the fibers are fed first into the breakoutunit from where they emerge into the inner channels 30 and then passaround the inner path to a splice unit such as that shown in 42. Theends of these fibers are then spliced with further lengths of opticalfiber, the splices being located one within each of the channels 43 ofthe splice unit 42. The additional fiber lengths are then fed into thechannels 30 and can be themselves passed a number of times around thetray through the slack area 31 until ultimately passing along the outerpath 29 and exiting through the outlet sections 32. These lengths offiber have on their ends appropriate optical fiber connector elementswhich are secured within the outlets shown at 22 and 23.

These connector elements can receive mating connector elements providedon the ends of optical fibers extending from equipment within thebuilding.

The formations 15 and 28 are all designed to define paths whose radiusof curvature is not less than the critical radius of curvature to whichan optical fiber should be subjected. A feature of the present walloutlet is the provision within the housing of a slack area (31) whichcan accommodate a significant length of optical fiber. The reason forthis is that should re-termination and splicing of the fibers benecessary at some time in the future, this is possible since within thehousing there is sufficient length of fiber accommodated to allow forsuch re-termination.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:
 1. A housing for use in providing a connectionbetween optical fibers located in trunking or the like in a building andone or more items of equipment, the housing comprising: a first housingmember; a second housing member, said first and second housing membersbeing connectable, said first housing member being mountable on a wallor support surface in the building so as to receive optical fibers fromsaid trunking and having formations which define a path for said fibers,said second housing member having a splice region and formations whichdefine a path which can receive said fibers from said first housingmember and guide the fibers to said splice region, said second housingmember having further formations which define paths for fiber extendingfrom said splice region to one or more outlets.
 2. A housing accordingto claim 1, wherein said second housing member comprises two partsincluding a first part pivotally connected to said first housing member,said first part being molded so as to define said one or more outlets,and said second part including a tray member which has said formationswhich define said paths.
 3. A housing according to claim 2, wherein thesplice region is defined in said tray member and is arranged to receiveone or more splice units.
 4. A housing according to claim 3, whereineach splice unit comprises a molded member which defines a number ofside-by-side channels.
 5. A housing according to claim 3, wherein thesplice region also accommodates a breakout unit which, when used, isdisposed below the splice unit or units.
 6. A housing according to claim1, wherein the formations define paths which are arranged to have aradius of curvature which is not less than a preselected criticalradius.
 7. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the paths are sodefined that the optical fibers can extend around them a plurality oftimes.
 8. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the formationsprovided on the first housing member define a path whose shape enablesthe direction of the fibers to be changed without subjecting the fiberto bending of less than a critical bending radius.
 9. A housingaccording to claim 4, wherein the splice region also accommodates abreakout unit which, when used, is disposed below the splice unit orunits.
 10. A housing providing a connection between optical fiberslocated in line groups and one or more devices, the housing comprising:a first housing member including a support surface mount and an openingto receive optical fibers from a line group and having formations whichdefine a path for said fibers from said opening; and a second housingmember, said fist housing member being connected to said second housingmember, said second housing member having a splice region and formationswhich define a path which can receive said fibers from said firsthousing member and guide the fibers to said splice region, said secondhousing member having further formations which define further paths forfibers extending from said splice region to one or more outlets.
 11. Ahousing according to claim 10, wherein said second housing membercomprises two parts including a first part pivotally connected to saidfirst housing member, said part being molded so as to define said one ormore outlets, and said second part including a tray member which hassaid formations which define said paths.
 12. A housing according toclaim 11, wherein the splice region is defined in said tray member andis arranged to receive one or more splice units.
 13. A housing accordingto claim 12, wherein each splice unit comprises a molded member whichdefines a number of side-by-side channels.
 14. A housing according toclaim 12, wherein the splice region also accommodates a breakout unitwhich, when used, is disposed below the splice unit.
 15. A connectionhousing for an optical fiber, the housing comprising: a first housingmember including a support mount and defining an opening to receive theoptical fiber, said first housing member including first housingformation which define an incoming housing path guiding the fiber fromsaid opening; and a second housing member movably connected to saidfirst housing member, said second housing member having a splice regionand defining a fiber connector outlet, said second housing includingsecond housing formations which define a first, second and third path,said first path guiding the fiber from said first housing and around aninside of said second housing said second path guiding the fiber fromsaid first path, around said inside of said housing to said spliceregion, said second path being inside said first path, said third pathguiding the fiber from said splice region around said inside of saidsecond housing, said third path being inside said first path, said thirdpath branching back to said second path and also branching to said fiberconnector outlet.
 16. A connection housing in accordance with claim 15,wherein: said second housing member defines a plurality of fiberconnector outlets; said first and second housing formations guide aplurality of optical fibers.
 17. A connection housing in accordance withclaim 15, wherein: said third path is arranged inside said path; saidsplice region is arranged inside said first path.
 18. A connectionhousing in accordance with claim 15, wherein: said second path has aslack area.
 19. A connection housing in accordance with claim 15,wherein: said fiber connector outlet is arranged inside said third path.20. A connection housing in accordance with claim 15, furthercomprising: an optical fiber connector element arranged in saidconnector outlet; an optical fiber connected to said connector elementand extending along said third path to said splice region.
 21. Aconnection housing in accordance with claim 15, further comprising: asplice unit arranged in said splice region; one of either another spliceunit and a breakout unit also arrange in said splice region, said spliceunit being stacked with said one of said another splice unit and saidbreakout unit in said splice region.
 22. A connection accordance withclaim 21, wherein: said splice unit and said one of said another spliceunit and said breakout unit have housing connectors for connecting toeach other and to said second housing member.
 23. A connection housingin accordance with claim 15, wherein: said first housing member has awall mount for mounting to a wall; said second housing member ispivotally connected to first housing between a first positionsubstantially parallel to the wall and a second position substantiallyperpendicular to the wall with an inside of the second housing memberfacing upward in said second position.
 24. A connection housing inaccordance with claim 22, wherein: said first housing member has a wallmount for mounting to a wall; said second housing member is pivotallyconnected to first housing between a first position substantiallyparallel to the wall and a second position substantially perpendicularto the wall with an inside of the second housing member facing upward;said second housing member defines a plurality of connector outlets;said first and second housing formations guide a plurality of opticalfibers; said third path is arranged inside second path; said second pathhas a slack area; said connector outlet is arranged inside said thirdpath; an optical fiber connector element is arranged in said connectoroutlet; an optical fiber is connected to said connector element andextends along said third path to said splice region.